--- title: Ebola Flights Brussels: Why Fly To West Africa description: Brussels Airlines says it has no plans to stop flying to West Africa, even as most airlines have suspended service because of Ebola. canonical: https://time.com/3490961/brussels-airlines-ebola/ author: Justin Worland article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-10-10T22:28:33.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:00:29.870Z article:section: Health og:title: Why One Airline Flies To West Africa Despite Ebola og:description: Brussels Airlines says it has no plans to stop flying to West Africa, even as most airlines have suspended service because of Ebola. og:url: https://time.com/3490961/brussels-airlines-ebola/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Why One Airline Flies To West Africa Despite Ebola twitter:description: Brussels Airlines says it has no plans to stop flying to West Africa, even as most airlines have suspended service because of Ebola. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production video:duration: 02:30 video:published: 2014-10-10 section: health topics: Ebola outbreak, disease transmission, media fear mongering, travel restrictions, public health response, terrorism claims, Africa outbreak, medical supplies genre: explainer, commentary tones: skeptical, corrective, urgent, authoritative emotions: fear (high), alarm (medium), reassurance (medium) sentiment: negative audience: general news viewers, health-curious readers, science audiences, policy-interested citizens people: Jeffrey Kulger organizations: TIME, Centers for Disease Control content_suitability: death [00:32-00:44]; health controversy [00:00-02:30]; disasters [00:32-00:47]; terrorism [01:38-01:52] transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable --- # Why One Airline Flies To West Africa Despite Ebola > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=c1990222-1e38-45e6-b2d8-f6ab717fe60c&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Science Cop: Ebola Fear Mongers [Watch (HLS stream): Science Cop: Ebola Fear Mongers](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Fwl31d5e.m3u8) (2:30)  _Published 2014-10-10. TIME's Science Cop Jeffrey Kulger takes on the media figures stirring up panic in the aftermath of the ebola outbreak._ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary TIME's Science Cop Jeffrey Kulger examines media figures who have stirred panic over the Ebola outbreak. He explains how Ebola spreads, contrasting it with flu, and notes that people are not contagious before showing symptoms. He argues that travel restrictions would hamper efforts to fight the disease at its African source. He concludes that while Ebola is terrifying, America is not in immediate danger and should focus on care and aid. ## Key points - Ebola is spread by direct contact with bodily fluids such as blood or vomit of an infected person, unlike flu, which can spread through handshakes. (00:52) - A person infected with Ebola but not yet showing symptoms will typically not transmit the disease. (01:07) - Some commentators support clamping down on travel to and from affected African areas, which the CDC says would make it harder to get doctors and medical supplies back and forth. (01:14) - Restricting travel could perhaps cripple efforts to wipe out the disease at its source. (01:28) - Cable news speculation that a terrorist with Ebola could spread it on mass transit would require all passengers to sit patiently while the terrorist bled or vomited on each of them. (01:38) - The current outbreak has struck about 7,500 people in Africa, and almost half have died. (00:32) - Ebola is a very lethal and ugly disease, but America is not in any immediate danger. (02:00) - The priorities are caring for those infected, sensibly protecting those who aren't, and battling the disease in Africa. (02:08) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:26] Sensational Claims About Ebola in America. Clips of alarming media claims about Ebola spreading in America are presented, and the segment says they are almost none true. - [00:26 to 01:14] How Ebola Actually Spreads. Kulger explains that Ebola is hard to contract, spread only through bodily fluids, and not typically transmitted before symptoms appear. - [01:14 to 01:48] Why Travel Restrictions Are Wrong. Kulger argues that clamping down on travel would hinder medical aid and the fight against the disease in Africa, and that the terrorist transmission scenario is implausible. - [01:48 to 02:30] Appropriate Response to Ebola. Kulger concludes Ebola is frightening but America is not in immediate danger, and urges care for the infected and support for Africa. ## Key quotes - [00:22] Jeffrey Kulger: "almost none of it is true" - [00:52] Jeffrey Kulger: "Ebola is spread by direct contact with bodily fluid" - [01:28] Jeffrey Kulger: "perhaps crippling efforts to wipe out the disease at its source" - [02:00] Jeffrey Kulger: "It's a very lethal and very ugly disease." ## Questions this video answers - How is Ebola spread? [00:52] - Is a person with Ebola contagious before showing symptoms? [01:07] - Would restricting travel to and from affected African areas help control Ebola? [01:14] - Could a terrorist infected with Ebola easily spread the disease on mass transit? [01:38] - Is America in immediate danger from the Ebola outbreak? [02:00] ## Content suitability - death [00:32-00:44]: Discusses the high death rate of the Ebola outbreak and the suffering of victims. - health controversy [00:00-02:30]: Covers public panic and disputed claims about Ebola transmission and travel policy. - disasters [00:32-00:47]: Describes an ongoing disease outbreak affecting thousands in Africa. - terrorism [01:38-01:52]: References a hypothetical terrorist spreading Ebola on mass transit, described in graphic bodily terms.  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Oct 10, 2014 10:28 PM UTC  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Oct 10, 2014 10:28 PM UTC Several major airlines including British Airways and Emirates have [suspended service](http://time.com/3451069/monrovia-dallas-patient-zero-ebola-contagion/) to Ebola-stricken regions of West Africa in response to a rapidly worsening Ebola outbreak, and Americans seem to agree with the service halts: 58% of people polled in a recent [survey](http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ebola-virus-outbreak/majority-americans-want-flights-banned-ebola-countries-survey-n221751) from NBC News want to ban all incoming flights from West African countries with Ebola. But two airlines—Brussels and Royal Air Maroc, Morocco’s largest airline—have continued serving Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. Brussels Airlines says it has no plans to stop flying into Guinea, Sierra Leone or Liberia in the immediate future. “It is our humanitarian duty to operate there,” said Geert Sciot, a vice president at Brussels Airlines. “Without our fights it would become almost impossible for medical staff to reach the country.” In recent days, health and governmental officials have [warned](http://time.com/3481373/ebola-transport-flight-plane-liberia/) that a shortage of flights limits the ability to get aid to the region and ultimately could worsen the global Ebola crisis. Sciot, who said that the airline has made flights to Africa a focus of their service for decades, said that the World Health Organization and other health groups had directly asked senior airline leadership to continue service to West Africa. Health groups also partnered with Brussels Airlines to implement measures to ensure safety for the passengers and crew. All passengers leaving the region have their temperatures taken and are screened with a questionnaire; patients with Ebola symptoms are not allowed to fly. Airline crew are not permitted to spend the night in at-risk locations, so they travel on a Brussels flight to Senegal when they need to stay overnight in West Africa. “It’s absolutely safe for us as an airline, for our passengers and for our crew, to operate these flights,” said Sciot. Despite conducting what he described as a public service, Sciot acknowledged the potential fallout from people who are concerned that flying to West Africa may help spread Ebola. Part of that attention undoubtedly surrounded the death of Thomas Eric Duncan, the [only person to die of Ebola on American soil](http://time.com/3481824/ebola-patient-thomas-eric-duncan-dies/). Duncan flew on Brussels Airlines from Liberia en route the United States before exhibiting symptoms of the disease. Sciot said that compared to last year, about the same number of people fly on the route and revenue is comparable, though there is a wait list for cargo space. “For our image, I don’t think we benefit from this at all,” he said. “We get a lot media requests linked to a disease.” ## Transcript [00:01] Ebola in America .>> Out of control .>> Killer [00:04] disease >> Spreading fast >> Ebola >> On the backs of [00:06] ISIS >> There's a lot of panic >> Chilling, deadly, [00:09] dangerous >> Scarier by the moment >> Shut down the [00:11] flights, secure the borders .>> By now you've heard about [00:14] Americas Ebola crisis, the disease has landed on our [00:18] shores and a few blown epidemic is on the way. That's [00:22] scary stuff, but almost none of it is true. And here's why. [00:26] [ MUSIC ] [00:32] There's no denying that Ebola is a terrifying disease. The [00:35] current outbreak has struck about 7, 500 people in Africa [00:39] so far. And almost half have died. The nature of that death [00:44] with organs breaking down and bleeding out is one of the [00:47] worst kinds of suffering imaginable. But put simply Ebola [00:52] is not a easy virus to contract, while a disease like flu [00:56] can be spread by shaking hands with someone who is [00:59] infected, Ebola is spread by direct contact with bodily fluid [01:03] such as the blood of vomit of someone who is infected. And [01:07] symptomatic. A victim who was infected but not yet showing [01:11] symptoms will typically not transmit the disease. But you [01:14] won't hear that from the fear mongers, some of whom [01:17] support clamping down on travel to and from the affected [01:21] areas in Africa, which is exactly the wrong thing to do. [01:26] According to the centers for disease control that would [01:28] make it harder to get doctors and medical supplies back [01:31] and fourth perhaps crippling efforts to wipe out the disease [01:34] at its source and while cable news speculates that a [01:38] terrorist infected with Ebola could board mass transit and [01:41] spread the disease to everyone on board that could [01:44] happen only if all of the passengers sat patiently. While the [01:48] terrorist went from one to another, and bled or vomited on [01:52] each, with their full cooperation. So, should we be afraid of [01:56] Ebola? Of course. It's a very lethal and very [02:00] ugly disease. But is America in any immediate danger? [02:04] [ MUSIC ] No. Our real job [02:08] is to care for the people who were infected, sensibly protect [02:12] those who aren't, and lend our considerable resources to [02:15] battling the disease in Africa, where people have no time [02:19] for this silly luxury of fear mongers [ UNKNOWN ] [02:22] [ MUSIC ] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3490961/brussels-airlines-ebola/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3490961/brussels-airlines-ebola/"},"headline":"Why One Airline Flies To West Africa Despite Ebola","datePublished":"2014-10-10T22:28:33.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T08:00:29.870Z","description":"\"It is our humanitarian duty to operate there\"","url":"https://time.com/3490961/brussels-airlines-ebola/","keywords":["ebola","Air travel","health","Infectious Disease"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Justin Worland","jobTitle":"Senior Correspondent","url":"https://time.com/author/justin-worland/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/ebola/","name":"ebola"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3490961/brussels-airlines-ebola/","name":"Why One Airline Flies To West Africa Despite Ebola"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Science Cop: Ebola Fear Mongers","description":"TIME's Science Cop Jeffrey Kulger takes on the media figures stirring up panic in the aftermath of the ebola outbreak.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/Fwl31d5e/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2014-10-10T20:03:51.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Fwl31d5e.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3490961/brussels-airlines-ebola/","duration":"PT2M30S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3490961/brussels-airlines-ebola/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```